Feedback on school

[IDoDis]

I was at a school that opened with all portables while the building was under construction. We were all in portables for 2 years with over 1200 elementary students. Now, 8 years later, I'm at another new school that is all portables while the permanent building is under construction. It's not a big deal.

I remember when I moved into the new building at my old school, I was a bit bummed out because the room was much smaller and I was at the mercy of the horrible heating/cooling system. I could not open a window to cool off when the heat was 85 degrees in the room. One year at a different school I was also in a portable (can ya tell they are quite common out here) that didn't have a sink. Each parent chipped in $10 so we were able to get water delivered from Culligan each month. Every time the guy would come to change out the huge water bottles, the kids would say in unison, "Hey, Culligan Man!" One year during the holidays my team teacher and I were doing a unit on Fairy Tales, so we decorated the outside of our portable to look like a candy house (from Hansel & Gretel). Some teachers plant little gardens in front of their portables. You can't do that in the building! I've had great times in the portables.

 

[Barb D]

I told him to call and ask, he replied "thats a mother's job."

You've got bigger problems than portable classrooms.
He can only treat you this way if you let him.

 

[mirmartinez]

You've got bigger problems than portable classrooms.
He can only treat you this way if you let him.

The man came from the most dysfunctional broken home you could imagine.

I always take this in to consideration when stupid things come out of his mouth.

He means no harm, he just wants his kids to have a mother who is involved.
He also wants their life to be perfect, (which, I know is impossible).

I am pretty laid back when it comes to child rearing, I do not micromanage (which, is what he thinks I should do).
Last spring, he wanted me to talk to the baseball league to have our DS placed on another team were our son knew more of his team mates.

I said no, he will be fine. Change is inevitable and good for children. He dropped the matter three weeks into the season, when he saw that our son does adapt.

The problem, with the portables is I was not sure where I stood on the matter.

I am going to the school tommorow to take a peak at the one that is there, to see if the school information has been correct.

 

[aprilgail2]

To use the bathroom, they will have to go inside the main building; the doors will remained unlocked during school hours.

Those would be my issues- the kids have to walk outside in the rain and snow just to get to the bathroom, go to lunch or gym etc? That I would not like. And the doors being unlocked would be an issue even if my child had one of the inside classrooms. That means anyone could walk in and out of the schools-here they get buzzed in and have to pass security before they can just walk in the school-not really very safe fo the children to have open doors in the school!

 

[golfgal]

Those would be my issues- the kids have to walk outside in the rain and snow just to get to the bathroom, go to lunch or gym etc? That I would not like. And the doors being unlocked would be an issue even if my child had one of the inside classrooms. That means anyone could walk in and out of the schools-here they get buzzed in and have to pass security before they can just walk in the school-not really very safe fo the children to have open doors in the school!

That CRAZY!!! I would hate for my kids to go to a school like that, YIKES. It sounds more like jail. Now, most of the doors are locked in our schools but there are doors that are open, you just walk in and walk to the office to check in. Yes, anyone could just come in but the chance is worth not sending our kids to a jail. There are plenty of people milling around that if someone came in that wasn't supposed to, things would be taken care of.

As for walking outside in the snow, kids won't melt. How is it any different the playing outside in the snow?

 

[teacherforhi]

Those would be my issues- the kids have to walk outside in the rain and snow just to get to the bathroom, go to lunch or gym etc? That I would not like. And the doors being unlocked would be an issue even if my child had one of the inside classrooms. That means anyone could walk in and out of the schools-here they get buzzed in and have to pass security before they can just walk in the school-not really very safe fo the children to have open doors in the school!

I've always told my students that they are old enough to watch the weather and determine if they need to bring a raincoat or umbrella that day. The majority ride the bus and had to go outside for that, so it shouldn't be that big a deal to walk in or out.

Having said that, about two years ago, they were calling for severe thunderstorms and the possibility of tornadoes, so I told my principal that I would be more comfortable in the corner of the library rather than in the mobile. It poured rain all day, so it was a good thing for all of us.

 

[bethy]

I wouldn't mind a portable. The building isnt' a huge deal to me - for example I would never pick an neighborhood based on the age of the school building.

BUT I could not deal with the no windows thing. I mean that just floors me that they wouldn't feel the children need natural light to be healthy. Our culture here is very outdoorsy so maybe that's part of it but for me natural light is nearly as important as food, shelter, water, etc.

 

[TwinsinCA]

As for walking outside in the snow, kids won't melt. How is it any different the playing outside in the snow?

Because when you play in the snow you put on the proper attire -- boots, snowpants, etc etc. You shouldn't need a jacket -- much less *boots* to go to the bathroom.

 

[TwinsinCA]

BUT I could not deal with the no windows thing. I mean that just floors me that they wouldn't feel the children need natural light to be healthy. Our culture here is very outdoorsy so maybe that's part of it but for me natural light is nearly as important as food, shelter, water, etc.

What does constant access to "natural light" have to do with health? Do you think a lack of it puts the kids at risk for SAD or something else? I know some people feel that way and I have always been mystified as to WHY. Besides they WILL have natural light for recess, etc. What is the big deal if they have a few hours a day without it?

 

[Becky2005]

I'm assuming all grades have mixed kids in it -- there isn't "this school's class" and "that school's clas" right?

I think it's just the luck of the draw then. The kids will adapt. IF they were keeping the kids all in one group (i.e. A's school kids are in one classroom and B's school kids are all in a classroom, then I could see DH being upset that the kids coming from the other school are getting the regular classrooms).

My 3rd grader is going to an entirely different school this year due to remodeling. We just happen to get lucky in that there was going to be an elementary school that was going to sit empty this year (they built a brand new school for the previous kids & it opened this year). They will eventually demolish part of this grade school and use it for the HS expansion.

Kind of stinks for this year's current 5th graders that are having to spend their last year at a different school. Stinks that my child now has to be bussed across town. I know my neighbors really thought it was awful because their daycare center doesn't take the kids over across town vs. they did take them to our normal school. The kids so far have been just fine with the adjustments. It's better than them sitting having classes in the gym divided with curtains for the classrooms (that was part of the solution since every single classroom is having work done -- include abestos removal).

Let's see my DD had to be split between 2 school's going into 7th grade. All her friends went to the old school, she went to the new -- she survived. Now all the kids are back together in HS (and they are planning on starting construction in 2010 there -- she'll survive).

 

[mjkacmom]

That CRAZY!!! I would hate for my kids to go to a school like that, YIKES. It sounds more like jail. Now, most of the doors are locked in our schools but there are doors that are open, you just walk in and walk to the office to check in. Yes, anyone could just come in but the chance is worth not sending our kids to a jail. There are plenty of people milling around that if someone came in that wasn't supposed to, things would be taken care of.

As for walking outside in the snow, kids won't melt. How is it any different the playing outside in the snow?

I'm from NJ, and I don't know of a single school that isn't locked during the day, and you need to be buzzed in. I see the PP is from NY, so probably a similar area as this. In JH and HS, students must have photo ID's worn around their necks at all times while being on campus.

One of our elementary schools has had trailers for years, due to overcrowding, and I'm guessing the kids need to be buzzed in to use the bathroom - I can't imagine the door would be left unlocked.

 

[TwinsinCA]

I'm from NJ, and I don't know of a single school that isn't locked during the day,

Like many schools in Southern CA our school is more of a campus with separate buildings. All classrooms open to the outside (as well as an interior hallway in some cases). The kids eat outside. So because everything is so "open" the perimeter of the grounds are fenced in. In order to get in you have to walk through the office and get checked in. If my daughters went to a school without a fence, I would hope that the doors are locked during the day.